Solution of Proj4. Scheme Interpreter of CS61A (2021-Fall)
Intro
Recently, I am reading a book called Crafting interpreters written by Robert Nystrom. In the original book, a Tree-walker interpreter jlox was implemented in Java. And I am trying to rewrite in Python - pylox. I highly recommend it👍. At this moment, I suddenly remembered that there were a few small issues with the Scheme interpreter for CS61A that I had not resolved after finishing it a year ago, which kept it in an unfinished state. So today I opened the project and intended to run through it from beginning to end and talk about the ideas.
Note: I only quote part of the original problem description. To make the post more compact, I also omit the irrelevant code :)
Part 1. The Evaluator
Problem 1
Implement the
defineandlookupmethods of the Frame class…bindingsis a dictionary representing the bindings in the frame…parentis the parent Frame instance…The environment for aFrameinstance consists of that frame, its parent frame, and all its ancestor frames, including the Global Frame.
Problem 1 is trivial in my opinion. To implement the define function, you just need to save the { symbol: value } in self.bindings. As for the lookup function, we can write a iterative solution or recursive one. The iterative solution is more intuitive though.
...
def define(self, symbol, value):
"""Define Scheme SYMBOL to have VALUE."""
self.bindings[symbol] = value
def lookup(self, symbol):
"""Return the value bound to SYMBOL. Errors if SYMBOL is not found."""
# Case 1. we check if the symbol is in the current frame
if symbol in self.bindings.keys():
return self.bindings[symbol]
else:
# Case 2. we check the parent of the current frame repreatly
pos = self.parent
while pos is not None:
if symbol in pos.bindings.keys():
return pos.bindings[symbol]
pos = pos.parent
# Case 3. we can't find the symbol
raise SchemeError("unknown identifier: {0}".format(symbol))
...
Problem 2
To be able to call built-in procedures, such as
+, you need to complete theBuiltinProcedurecase within thescheme_applyfunction inscheme_eval_apply.py. Built-in procedures are applied by calling a corresponding Python function that implements the procedure.
The full problem description elaborates on the procedure of implementing scheme_apply function. Notice that you should distinguish nil and None. This subtle bug may cause you other correct solutions fail to pass the test suite.
def scheme_apply(procedure, args, env):
...
if isinstance(procedure, BuiltinProcedure):
# Convert the Scheme list to a Python list of arguments
args_list = []
pos = args
while pos is not nil:
if pos.first is not nil:
args_list.append(pos.first)
else:
args_list.append(nil)
pos = pos.rest
# Add the current environment if procedure.expect_env == True
if procedure.expect_env:
args_list.append(env)
# Call procedure.py_func on all arguments
try:
return procedure.py_func(*args_list)
except TypeError as e:
raise SchemeError(f"incorrect number of arguments, {e}")
...
Problem 3
Implement the missing part of
scheme_eval, which evaluates a call expression…You’ll have to recursively callscheme_evalin the first two steps…Themapmethod ofPairreturns a new Scheme list constructed by applying a one-argument function to every item in a Scheme list…Important: do not mutate the passed-inexpr. That would change a program as it’s being evaluated, creating strange and incorrect effects.
Is’ quite straightforward to implement scheme_eval. The main obstacle in the way may comes from the requirement that we need to pass one-argument function to rest.map. However, the scheme_eval has two arguments(let’s ignore the optional part). To make the scheme_eval a one-argument function, we may write a simple lambda to wrapper it, or we can use the partial function in functools packages to fix arguments for a specefic function. I choose to use the latter solution.
def scheme_eval(expr, env, _=None): # Optional third argument is ignored
...
else:
# Evaluate the operator(first argument)
operator = scheme_eval(first, env)
validate_procedure(operator)
# Evaluate all of the operands(other arguments)
from functools import partial
operands = rest.map(partial(scheme_eval, env=env))
return scheme_apply(operator, operands, env)
Problem 4
The type of the first operand tells us what is being defined…implement just the first part, which evaluates the second operand to obtain a value and binds the first operand, a symbol, to that value. Then,
do_define_formreturns the symbol that was bound.
In problem 1, we have implemented the define method, which can bind value to a symbol. All we need to do is pass the correct arguments to this method. To access the some_val part in (define a some_val), we can use the .rest.first
def do_define_form(expressions, env):
...
if scheme_symbolp(signature):
# assigning a name to a value e.g. (define x (+ 1 2))
validate_form(
expressions, 2, 2
) # Checks that expressions is a list of length exactly 2
env.define(signature, scheme_eval(expressions.rest.first, env))
return signature
...
Problem 5
Implement the
do_quote_formfunction inscheme_forms.pyso that it simply returns the unevaluated operand of the(quote ...)expression.
validate_form(expressions, 1, 1) ensures that the expressions is '.... And we just need to return it.
def do_quote_form(expressions, env):
validate_form(expressions, 1, 1)
return expressions.first
Part 2. Procedures
Problem 6
Change the
eval_allfunction inscheme_eval_apply.py(which is called fromdo_begin_forminscheme_forms.py) to complete the implementation of thebeginspecial form (spec). Abeginexpression is evaluated by evaluating all sub-expressions in order. The value of thebeginexpression is the value of the final sub-expression.
Let’s write the recursive solution:
- Check if
expressionsisnil, and returnNoneif it holds - Check f
expressions.restisnil, return the evaluation result ofexpressions.firstif it holds, or recursively calleval_all
def eval_all(expressions, env):
if expressions is nil:
return None
res = scheme_eval(expressions.first, env)
if expressions.rest is nil:
return res
else:
return eval_all(expressions.rest, env)
Problem 7
Implement the
do_lambda_formfunction (spec), which creates and returns aLambdaProcedureinstance
By reading the problem description of Problem 6, we know how to construct a LambdaProcedure
def do_lambda_form(expressions, env):
validate_form(expressions, 2)
formals = expressions.first
validate_formals(formals)
return LambdaProcedure(formals, expressions.rest, env)
Problem 8
This method takes in two arguments:
formals, which is a Scheme list of symbols, andvals, which is a Scheme list of values. It should return a new child frame, binding the formal parameters to the values.
The full problem description is well written and this problem us trivial.
def make_child_frame(self, formals, vals):
if len(formals) != len(vals):
raise SchemeError("Incorrect number of arguments to function call")
sub_frame = Frame(self)
# iterate
pos1, pos2 = formals, vals
while pos1 is not nil:
key, value = pos1.first, pos2.first
sub_frame.define(key, value)
pos1, pos2 = pos1.rest, pos2.rest
return sub_frame
Problem 9
You should first create a new
Frameinstance using themake_child_framemethod of the appropriate parent frame, binding formal parameters to argument values. Then, evaluate each of the expressions of the body of the procedure usingeval_allwithin this new frame.
In this problem, we can use the make_child_frame implemented in Problem 8.
def scheme_apply(procedure, args, env):
...
elif isinstance(procedure, LambdaProcedure):
child_frame = procedure.env.make_child_frame(procedure.formals, args)
return eval_all(procedure.body, child_frame)
...
Problem 10
Modify the
do_define_formfunction inscheme_forms.pyso that it correctly handlesdefine (...) ...)expressions
Use do_lambda_form or just call the constructer of LambdaProcedure.
def do_define_form(expressions, env):
...
elif isinstance(signature, Pair) and scheme_symbolp(signature.first):
# defining a named procedure e.g. (define (f x y) (+ x y))
# the signature is (f x y)
formals = signature.rest # (x y)
validate_formals(formals)
# now we need to parse (+ x y)
env.define(signature.first, LambdaProcedure(formals, expressions.rest, env))
return signature.first # f
...
Problem 11
Implement
do_mu_forminscheme_forms.pyto evaluate themuspecial form. Amuexpression evaluates to aMuProcedure. Most of theMuProcedureclass (defined inscheme_classes.py) has been provided for you.
The key to this problem is understanding dynamic scoping. We can make a child frame and evaluate the MuProcedure and it should work as expected.
def scheme_apply(procedure, args, env):
...
elif isinstance(procedure, MuProcedure):
child_frame = env.make_child_frame(procedure.formals, args)
return eval_all(procedure.body, child_frame)
...
def do_mu_form(expressions, env):
validate_form(expressions, 2)
formals = expressions.first
validate_formals(formals)
return MuProcedure(formals, expressions.rest)
Part 3. Special Forms
Problem 12
Implement
do_and_formanddo_or_formso thatandandorexpressions are evaluated correctly. The logical formsandandorare short-circuiting
I write do_and_form and do_or_form recursively:
do_and_form: the base case isniland we should returnTrue. Otherwise, we check each one and return immediately if we found Falsedo_or_form: the base case isniland we should returnFalse. Otherwise, we check each one and return immediately if we found True
def do_and_form(expressions, env):
# base case: (and)
if expressions is nil:
return True
front = scheme_eval(expressions.first, env)
if is_scheme_true(front):
if expressions.rest is nil:
return front
else:
return do_and_form(expressions.rest, env)
else:
return front
def do_or_form(expressions, env):
# base case: (or)
if expressions is nil:
return False
front = scheme_eval(expressions.first, env)
if is_scheme_false(front):
if expressions.rest is nil:
return front
else:
return do_or_form(expressions.rest, env)
else:
return front
Problem 13
Fill in the missing parts of
do_cond_formso that it correctly implementscond, returning the value of the first result sub-expression corresponding to a true predicate, or the result sub-expression corresponding toelse.
Just do as the problem description says.
def do_cond_form(expressions, env):
...
if is_scheme_true(test):
# no sub-expression
if clause.rest is nil:
return test
return eval_all(clause.rest, env)
...
Problem 14
Implement
make_let_frameinscheme_forms.py, which returns a child frame ofenvthat binds the symbol in each element ofbindingsto the value of its corresponding expression. ThebindingsScheme list contains pairs that each contain a symbol and a corresponding expression.
Check each binding and use the Pair to collection the names and values.
def make_let_frame(bindings, env):
if not scheme_listp(bindings):
raise SchemeError("bad bindings list in let form")
names = values = nil
# bingding: (<name> <expression>)
# bingdings: ( (<name1> <expression1>) (<name2> <expression2>) ...)
pos = bindings
while pos is not nil:
front = pos.first # i.e. the first binding
validate_form(front, 2, 2) # verify the structure is (<name> <expression>)
names = Pair(front.first, names)
values = Pair(eval_all(front.rest, env), values)
pos = pos.rest
validate_formals(names)
return = env.make_child_frame(names, values)
Problem 15
Implement the
enumerateprocedure, which takes in a list of values and returns a list of two-element lists, where the first element is the index of the value, and the second element is the value itself.
We can implement the enumerate procedure recursively by writing a helper function called helper:
- base case: the
inputisniland we just return'() - other cases: recursively call the
helperfunction. Notice that how the arguments change:input -> (cdr input)andindex -> (+ index 1)
(define (enumerate s)
(begin
;; a helper funtion
(define (helper input index)
(cond ((null? input) '()) ;; base case: return () if it is nil
(else (cons (cons index (cons (car input) nil))
(helper (cdr input) (+ index 1)))))) ;; recursive call
(helper s 0))
)
Problem 16
Implement the
mergeprocedure, which takes in a comparator functioninorder?and two lists that are sorted, and combines the two lists into a single sorted list. A comparator defines an ordering by comparing two values and returning a true value if and only if the two values are ordered. Here, sorted means sorted according to the comparator
A classic interview problem: merge two sorted lists. We just need to compare the head of each list and recursively call merge in the right arguments form
(define (merge inorder? list1 list2)
(cond ((null? list1) list2) ;; base case: list1 is empty
((null? list2) list1) ;; base case: list2 is empty
((inorder? (car list1) (car list2))
(cons (car list1) (merge inorder? (cdr list1) list2))) ;; consume list1
(else
(cons (car list2) (merge inorder? list1 (cdr list2))))) ;; consume list2
)